Third Year Ph.D. Student

Pronouns: She/They

Position: Laboratory Manager, Graduate Student Researcher

Taylor is a third year doctoral student with a primary focus in forensic anthropology. They have two Master of Science degrees from the University College London in Bioarchaeological and Forensic Anthropology and Musculoskeletal Science. While completing these degrees, their research focused on taphonomic processes affecting sharp force trauma and subchondral bone regeneration in injured knee joints, respectively. Taylor's Ph.D. research focuses on gender inclusivity in forensics. Ultimately, this research will analyze the structural violence, systemic marginalization, and post-death treatment of transgender and gender variant individuals in forensics. Taylor also plans to analyze the effects of hormone therapy on traditional skeletal sex indicators used in forensic anthropology, and to catalyze research that enhances post-mortem care of transgender and gender variant decedents. Additionally, Taylor is working on a project with the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner radiograph identification database and she is analyzing rib trauma in individuals interred at the Erie County Poorhouse.

Flaherty CV

Third Year Ph.D. Student

Pronouns: She/Her

Position: Graduate Student Researcher, Volunteer and Mentor

Katherine (Katie's) background is in bioarchaeology and she is primarily interested in how individuals and societies have experienced health and disease in the past. She is currently working as a field osteologist for two active medieval bioarchaeology research sites located in Poland, where her recent research has focused on taking an interdisciplinary approach to the analysis of skeletal biomarkers of stress in order to form a more comprehensive understanding of frailty in medieval Prussia. Currently, her PhD research involves exploring biocultural theories of ageing as they relate to health across the lifespan in order to better understand the lived experiences of elderly adults in both bioarchaeological and forensic contexts.

First Year M.A. Student 

Position: Graduate Student Researcher and Volunteer 

SaMoura has a background in Forensic Anthropology. Prior to attending UNLV, her research focused on dental morphology and diastema frequencies to help evaluate population frequencies. She also explored the combination of craniometric and odontometrics to estimate the parameters of the biological profile. In addition, she participated in research examining terminology used to describe human variation in forensic anthropology. For future research, SaMoura is interested in radiographs and topics surrounding the African diaspora.

Second Year Ph.D. Student

Pronouns: He/His

Position: Graduate Student Researcher and Volunteer 

Liam is a second year PhD student studying biological anthropology with a background in forensic anthropology and geospatial analysis. Prior to attending UNLV, Liam researched 3D computational age-at-death techniques on a modern Portuguese skeletal population. He has more recently conducted research on the spatiotemporal distribution of missing persons cases from Louisiana to aid investigative agencies and recommend spatially informed locations of where to strategically host community centered missing and unidentified persons events. Liam intends to further explore the intersections between unidentified and missing persons, public health, advocacy, geospatial technology, and community engagement.

Curriculum Vitae

Second Year Ph.D. Student

Pronouns: She/Her

Position: Graduate Student Researcher and Volunteer

Dayanira has a Master of Science degree in Forensic Studies with a concentration on Human Identity & Trauma analysis from Florida Gulf Coast University. Prior to beginning her studies as a doctoral student at UNLV, her training, education, and experience was centered around fragmentary human osteology and forensic anthropology. Her previous research includes the effects of hydrochloric acid on human remains while documenting the pattern of dissolution observed; best practices in curation of human skeletal remains; skeletal manifestations of developmental defects (Goldenhar – Gorlin Syndrome); and postmortem alligator scavenging on human remains. In the future, she hopes to focus on issues related to violations of human rights of marginalized groups in Central America.

Curriculum Vitae

Third Year Ph.D. Student

Pronouns: She/Her

Position: Graduate Student Researcher, Volunteer and Mentor

Katharine has a background in both biological and forensic anthropology. She has worked extensively with prehistoric human skeletal remains. Katharine has also conducted taphonomic research exploring the variations that occur to remains when subject to winter weather conditions. Currently, her Ph.D. project focuses on health disparities and violence directed toward women and children residing at county poor houses during the 19th and early 20th centuries. She intends to analyze the skeletal remains belonging to the Milwaukee County Poor Farm Cemetery (MCPFC), as well as data from the Erie County Poorhouse (ECPH). Her hope is that this research may provide a better understanding of how women and children’s bodies are regulated by social and societal organizations/institutions.

Curriculum Vitae

Undergraduate Senior

Pronouns: He/Him

Position: Undergraduate RAMP Mentee

Cole White is a Cultural Anthropology major graduating in the spring of 2023. Before coming to UNLV, Cole studied Biology at Suffolk University in Boston. His main interests are in Applied Anthropology using his cultural background to solve real world problems. He is also interested in using human genetics to answer questions concerning both the past and the present.

Senior Undergraduate Student

Pronouns: He/Him

James is an undergraduate student with an associates degree in Medical lab technology from CSN. He is currently an Anthropology major while also working on a minor in Biology. He has a major interest in Forensic Science and Genetics with goals to one day be able to Identify any human remains using genetics/genomics.

Third Year Undergraduate Student 

Pronouns: He/Him 

Thomas is a third-year undergraduate with a focus in forensics and epidemiology. He is currently a double major pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. Thomas is currently assisting in a project with the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner radiograph identification database to test the reliability and validity of radiographic comparisons for positive identification. After earning his undergraduate degrees, Thomas wants to continue his schooling.